I’ll bet you’ve never seen a title like that on a blog before. Allow me to explain.
I’ve been pretty busy lately. The Project House is almost ready to become a furnished rental:
I’m still working on leveling out the back yard. When the weather is nice, I’ve been building a retaining wall which involves a lot of digging:
But the fun doesn’t stop there. I’m also finishing up the home that we live in. It’s been a lot of work. Since November of 2019, I’ve:
- built a deck and pergola
- finished the basement and added a bathroom
- remodeled the guest bath
- remodeled the kitchen
- replaced all flooring
- added a hefty solar system
- moved the washer and dryer from the basement to the upstairs
Video here.
I have one more big project left; the master bathroom which I started a week ago. I’m rearranging everything, so it’s a big job. I’ve already gutted the room. Now, I’m working on electricity, plumbing, and mudding (patching drywall):
I supposedly retired almost 6 years ago in April of 2017. Since then, I’ve been working harder than ever. It’s good work because I get to do it on my own terms and I mostly enjoy it, but it’s been a bit too much. I look forward to finishing up these projects and moving on to other challenges that do not involve construction.
Work is the key to a satisfying life. However, work can take many forms. Post-construction, I’ll be working on playing the keyboard, improving my Spanish skills, and becoming a better speaker. I look forward to retiring, whatever that means.
Cincinnati/NYC
Life isn’t just about construction. For spring break we’re going to relax. First we’ll fly to Cincinnati for EconoMe. The last EconoMe was a stellar time and I even got to speak. I’ll be hanging out with Doug on Sunday night at Rhinegeist. Hit us up for some Mile High FI swag.
After Cincinnati, we head to NYC to catch a couple of shows and wander aimlessly around Central Park. If y’all have any recommendations for us while we’re in the big city, let me know in the comments or the contact form. I’m partial to mole, pizza, architecture, and long walks. Maybe I’ll see you in Ohio or New York?
More 1500 Days!!!
You can also find me (and the dinosaurs) at:
Mile High FI podcast:
Also here:
- Facebook: Facebook group and page
- YouTube: My channel is mostly devoted to home improvement, but I have some other material coming up soon too.
- Instagram: Pretty pictures of dinosaurs, sunsets, and nail guns!
- Twitter: Spontaneous, often insane, ramblings
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Nice! Are you planning on installing some sort of ventilation for your stovetop? It’s great that it’s not gas but I’ve heard the process of cooking anything is still going to create some level of particulates that you want to vent.
I’m looking forward to more YouTube videos on the renovations!
No ventilation here unfortunately. It would have been really painful to figure out.
I’ve always admired construction workers Carl, how they make something out nothing. Especially when those huge towers were going up in downtown Denver! Kudos to you for refining your craftsman skills and doing something productive after retirement. The photos look great! I’ve always been afraid of botching a renovation so have stuck with lighter work like painting, plumbing, and light fixtures, but your never know until you try I guess.
Enjoy your well-deserved time “off”!
Thanks for the kind words Gary!
That master bath idea looks fantastic! We’ve been very happy with our 1092 sq ft bungalow, but occasionally I daydream about walk-in closets or a bigger-than-tub-sized shower. My reno skills go no farther than replacing a kitchen faucet or running ethernet behind walls and into a basement patch panel; useful, but I’m glad we’ve got the wherewithal to hire pros as needed.
Safe travels!
1,092 well planned square feet is plenty! Walk-in closets are a poor use of space and who needs that much stuff anyway? 🙂
The museum of natural history in new york city is one of my favorites and is great for the kids. The whale room is impressive and the planetarium is good too.
We just redid our master bath. Good luck!
Carl, I think the name of the Pizza place is John’s of NY….great Pizza and the water they served was great too and inside was beautiful…this was over 10 years ago.